Phantom

Crap - now the voltmeter is intermittent. Hope it's not the gauge 'cause getting another good one will be a challenge and then I'll have to get another white-faced gauge kit just for it. Well - actually - it looks like there are rebuilt ones available and I can just exchange the face plates before I send in mine as a core. Just another month and a couple hundred bucks.

In the long run you never regret doing it right. Bite the bullet and spend the extra $ and time to do it the best way possible.

I have an LS1 with the stock fuel rails. My fuel runs to the regulator and then to one side of the rails. There is a crossover between the rails in the center that feeds the other side. I've had no issues with the stock fuel rails.

Matt - if those 16x7 wheels have a 0 offset you can run 225/50-16 tires on them. I do on my 77 280Z. With the BC coil overs you could do it easily with a + 5-10 offset.

Well, at this point they've finally gotten the battery charged and are wiiring in the DRL's. Unfortunately they found another coolant leak where the heater hoses connect to the engine. That should be very easily repaired. Seems to be reluctance to tackling the adjustable proportioning valve but it'll get done. Two more days and it's supposed to come home.

Interesting - I used to own a '55 Plymouth 4-dr Belvedere with a 273 V-8 and an automatic. Pretty much didn't like that car. Seattlejester gave you some really good advice. Really sounds like you have a contaminated fuel tank to me. You never mentioned the mechanic pulling it and checking it out. One thing that doesn't sound right, though. The fuel pump on a '77 280Z should be mounted in the rear wheel well area on the passenger side - not in the engine compartment. Those pumps like to push, not pull. If the pump is trying to suck the fuel any significant distance it won't work properly. Also, your issue sounds like you may have some vapor lock going on. The 280Z had a problem with that. The heat shield between the exhaust manifold and the fuel rail didn't quite get the job done. When that happens the car won't start a couple minutes after shutting it down but will about 15 minutes later. Sometimes it will stutter a little as it starts up but then will run ok. It will not occur as long as the engine is running.

I'm currently running 16x7 Centerline wheels with 0 offset on my 1977 280Z with 225/50-16 Dunlop Direzza tires. They just clear the inside of the fenders and also clear the stock suspension. I do have an issue with them lightly contacting the outer fenders lightly when hitting a hard bump with two people in the car. Your 205/55-16 tires will clear with no issue. If you have coilovers I'd suggest running a +10 offset which pulls the tires in a little bit. When you go out to wheels think longer term than the set of tires you have now. Have a plan.

KtM - I hear you. I don't think I've heard a V8 that sounds nicer than a Ford V8. Now if they were just cheaper, not so wide, got better fuel economy, and had more HP more folks would use them.

WOW! Those photos turned me totally green. Need to work harder and get some serious commissions to spend on mine. Problem is that I can't resist driving it every chance I get so I'd mess up all that gorgeous under body in a couple weeks.

My LS1 came out of an automatic car but JCI sent it to www.chipsbyal.com and the entire ECU was re flashed to a 2002 manual program. I've had no issues with the ECM.

I drove my '77 280Z for 11 years with the L28. Part of the time with a 4-spd and 3.54 R200 and part of the time with an '83 ZX 5-spd and 3.90 R200. It was fun with both but more fun with the latter. I could floor it and go flat out thru the gears and not get into trouble. When I had over 200k miles on the car I decided on a motor swap. My self-imposed options were a stroker L28, a turbo L28, or a V8. I wanted at least 250 reliable rwhp. I spent a lot of time on HybridZ and other sites and finally settled on the LS1. My reasons were pretty simple. I could get 325 rwhp out of a totally stock, OEM reliable, motor. The L28 options had me pushing the envelope of the L28 and having to run a non stock aftermarket ignition and fuel delivery system which was more than I wanted to sign on for. It took me a year to talk John Radevich at JCI to do the conversion. As we went through the process I had two primary requirements: 1) Keep Chevy, Chevy and Datsun, Datsun with as few custom parts as possible. 2) have the installation as OEM looking as possible with reliability and ease of maintenance imperative. We accomplished all of those and, in the end, the car gained a total of 30 lbs and that was all on the rear wheels. Because the LS1 sat physically further back and lower than the L28 the handling actually marginally improved. It allowed me to throttle steer too which I couldn't do with the L28. The LS1 has wonderful linear response to the throttle and the flat torque curve makes it very smooth, not peaky. It is a great daily driver than responds enthusiastically to the throttle and definitely requires me to stay alert. Exhaust note is in the ear of the listener. Some guys love the sound of the six, others like the note of a Ford V8, and some of us get goosebumps when an LS1 comes on strong. To each his own.

Stopped by the shop today and everything that was apart is now back together. Now its time for the adjustable proportioning valve. They thought they'd be done with it today but they won't make it. Sometime next week now. They did install the side marker lights backwards but that's an easy fix. HID headlights and LED lights look sweet. No pictures for now. Teaser. .

Also you'll need to find a shop that can turn brake rotors while on the car. My local Nissan dealer does that. I found that the combination of old spindles and adapters left my Willwood Superlite rotors with way too much run-out. Yours has been put together much better so that may not be an issue but thought I should mention it.

You'll obviously need a good alignment shop since the only adjustment normally available on an S30 is front toe. I haven't even seen anywhere that they state what the other, non-adjustable, settings actually are.

I've read about ZG flares in many threads but, at this point, I'm trying to figure out whose to use. I'm planning on running 275/40-17 tires on 9 1/2" rims with -19mm backspacing on all 4 corners and I'm not certain how far they will actually stick out of the standard body. I know the flares from MSA are about 2-2.5" wide while the JPN Garage has a wide ZG option that is 3.25" in the front and 3.75" in the rear. Obviously they need to be wide enough to clear the tires but not so wide it looks like the tires are inset. Those of you that have done this - what do you recommend? Any fitment issues you encountered? I have TTT coilovers all around so there is a little extra room on the inboard side.

It looks like you're using all Arizona Z Car suspension & braking components? What do you think of the quality at this point? Any installation issues? That car is going to be a veritable jewel when you get it done. Beautiful color choices.

Thank you. It's actually pretty filthy right now but it still looks pretty good after 10 years and nearly 100,000 miles. When I redo the exterior the interior is going to be untouched. Way too expensive to try to change it.

PROGRESS!! Dash and new console are back in. Other progress too but that is for a later update.

Try Motorsport Auto. I have a late model '77 that is the same as the '78 and I got a full weatherstrip kit from them years ago.

Another option would be to take a pair 3" C channel and make a torque tube that attaches the back of the transmission to the front of the differential. You could build a plate that uses existing bolts on the tranny and then weld or bolt the C channel to that - likewise in the back with the diff. Not sure what you're running for a differential but that is the way my T56/R200 is set up. That eliminates the need for the rear transmission mount.

Delivered all the parts this morning and they're promising the car this week. Keeping my fingers crossed. I'll post a video of the LED lights once they are installed and working correctly.

Anyone here going to the 10th annual Datsuns Northwest swap meet in Canby, Oregon on June 13th & 14th? http://datsunsnw.org I'm hoping to have my Z back together by then and attend.

Starting Tuesday if all goes right! The clock actually arrived in the mail Saturday rather than the predicted Tuesday. This means I'll be able to deliver it all to the shop when they open Tuesday morning.

Look what I picked up at the Post Office today! And I also got notification from USPS that my clock would arrive this next Tuesday.

Dude! Heart surgery? That's really good that you're back at it after only 3 weeks. How are you feeling? Doc got you on a strict diet?